Bonding plug



Patented Mar, 27, 1923.

UNITED lSTATES NEWTON K. BOWMAN, 0F NORTH LAWRENCE, OHIO.

BoNDING' PLUG.

Application led September 6, 1919. Serial No. 322,158.

To all whom it may concem Be it known that I, NEWTON K. BOWMAN,

citizen of 'the United States, residing at North Lawrence, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bonding Plugs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved plug particularly designed for use in bonding the joints of track rails and has as one of its principal objects to provide a device of this character whereby worn-out or discarded electrical cable may be employed as a bonding conductor.

The invention has as a further object to provide a plug so constructed that a length of cable may be readily connected thereto and wherein the cable will be efectually gripped to provide an eiiicient electrical connection between the cable and the plug.

A further object of the invention is to provide a plug having gripping wings and wherein these wings maybe bent,y about a cable end in overlapping relation for compressing the wires on the cable'into practically an integral mass tightly gripped by the wings for thus not only forming an effectual electrical connection between the cable and the plug but also providing a secure joint therebetween.

And the invention has as a still further object to provide a plug which may be .readily secured upon a rail web.

Other and incidental objects will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view showing my improved plug in detail,

igure 2 is a sectional view taken mevdially 'through the plug,

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 4 and showing a conventional cable connected to the Plug., f/

F1 ure 4 1s a sectlonal view taken at substantially ri ht angles to Figure 3 on the linel 4 4 of igure 3,

Figure 5`is a detail perspective view showin a 'slightly modified form of plug, and

Figure 6 is a sectional view showing a conventional cable connected to the modified form of plug,

Fig. l7 is a view showing the coaction of the gripping wings.

In carrying the invention into effect, my

improved plug is formedwith a preferably cylindrical shank 10 at one end of which is provided an overhanging head 11 while, at its opposite end, the shank is cored out axially or cupped as shown at 12. f As will be noted, the plugis thus preferably formed as an integral structure and may be constructed of any approved material. However, in view of the function of the plu it will preferably be formed of brass. he head 11 is oblong at its base and rising from 'the end portions of the head are spaced gripping wings 13 between which, at the base of the wings, is formed a semicylindrical or concave channel 14. `The outer side walls of the wings converge upwardly toward each other while the inner side walls of the wings are substantially parallel. Thus, the wings are gradually tapered in thickness toward their free ends and, at their outer terminals are feathered or beveled, both in the same. direction as shown in Figure 5.

In order that the structural advantages of my improved plug may be accurately understood,- I have, in the drawings, shown the device in use. As previously intimated, the plug of the present invention is particularly designed for rendering lit feasible to employ worn-out or discarded electrica-l cable in bonding track rails. In the drawings. i have conventionally shown a portion of such a cable at l5 while the web of an ordinaryl track rail is indicated at 16, this web being provided adjacent each end, as is usual, with one or more openings therethrough. A piewy of cable of a length to extend between mec( ing rails at the joint thereof is first procured. The length of cable is then connected at each end thereof to one of my improved4 plugs when the plugs are, in turn, secured to the rail webs. In the interests of clarity I shall now proceed to describe the manner in which the adjacent end of the cable 15 is connected to the plug shown as well as the manner in which this plug is secured upon the rail web 16. Initially', the wires of 'the cable at the adjacent end thereof are4r bared when the cable wires arc laid in the channel 14 of the plug between the wings 13. The free end portion of one of the wings is the-n curved inwardly over the cable so that the end portion of said wing at its outer'side contacts with the inner side of the other wing adjacent its base. The otherl wing is vthen bent inwardly over` the I extreme gripping action of the i shank-10 thereofmay,

. yis preferably used first wing so that the .straight inner wall of the latter wing contacts with the sloping outer wall of the first wing. The wings will thus Vcoact to form a loop about the cable and by hammering upon the free end portions of the wings, the bending operation thereof may be continued for tightly binding the wings about the cable and contracting the loop formed by said wings. In this connection, it is to be observed that the sloping wall of the innermost wing will coact with the straight wall of the outermost wing in such manner that the free end portion of the innermost wing will -be directed inwardly toward the base of the outer wing so that the bending of the wings maybe accomplished without diiiiculty and since the wings are feathered at their ends smooth joints will be provided between the -wings at the respective lends thereof. Inward bendving of the wings, in the manner just indias will be`seen, be continued,

cated, may, until ythe Wires of the cableare, as shown in Figure 3, compressed `practically into a solid mass, cal connection will thus be formed between the cableand the plug while, owing to the win s of the plug upon the cable,the cable wil be effectually connected to-the plug. After the cable has been thus secured to the plug, the as shown in Figures 3 and 4, be inserted through one of the openings in the adjacent end' of the rail web when, by pounding upon the rim of the shank cup, the shank may be overturned against the web for securely connecting the plug with therail; Forthis purpose acenter punch and by hammering thereon the shank will be expanded, so as to fit tightly in .the hole provided'i'n the'rail web, filling all pores and producing `a perfect electrlc connection, and safeguarding against the entering of corrosive produclng -elements. It will accordingly be seen that' I provide a plug making it readily .possible n to employ worn out or discarded electrical cable as a bonding conductor since the plug will securely grip the 'conductor to have entirely ade uate electrical connection therewith while t e plug maj;7 also be readily connected to a track rail.

In Figures 5 and 6 ofJthe drawings,A I have illustrated a slight modification of the in lvention. In this modification, the head 17 of the plug is first formed solid when a I A substantially perfect electri- 4 terminating with transverse opening 18 is then formed through the head. The head is then split at its outer side to form coacting gripping wings 19 corresponding to the gripping wings 13 of 'the preferred construction. In this connection it will -be observed that the head is rounded at its outer edge while the opening 17 is located eccentrically with respect to the arc of 'the outer edge of the head so that the wings 19 are thus gradually tapered in thickness toward their free ends. Furthermore, in splitting the head to form' the wings, the head is cut through in tangential relation tothe openingrlS so that the wings are accordingly feathered at their ends. `In some instances it may be preferred to thus form the plug. However, since the modified structure is with the preferred form of the invention and is employed in a Similar manner, further description of the modification is believed unnecessary.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A bonding plug including a head and a shank, said head having a pair offyvings forming a substantially semi-circular recessV between themi and tapering outwardly, terminating with substantially parallel bevels, said wings being adapted to fold over a cable placed in said recess and to be pressed around thesame, the ends of said wings' otherwise identical L v overlapping each other to completely enfold the cable and form a" .solid unit therewith, presenting a smooth outer surface.

f2. A bonding plug-including a head and a shank, said headhaving a pair of. wings forming a substantially semi-circular recess between them and tapering outwardly, substantially parallel bevels, said wings being adapted to. fold over a'cable placed in said recess and to be pressed around the same to form a solid unit therewith.

j3. A bonding plugincluding a head and a shank, said head having a' pair of wings `forming a substantiallyl semi-circular refcess between them and tapering outwardly,

said wings being adapted to fold over a cable vplaced Iin said reces's and' to be pressed around the same, 'the ends of said win overlapping each other to completely enfold the cable to form a solid unit therewith.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

v.NEWTON K. BOWMAN. [1.. s.] 

